Here's a photo I took on a visit to Penobscot Bay a couple of years ago. It points up both the pristine quality of the water and the amazing natural beauty of the Maine Coast. I am happy to report that I and 226 of my colleagues from other coastal states recently signed on to a letter of protest organized by the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke reiterating our opposition to the Trump plan to expand drilling for oil and gas off the Continental US.

The letter, spearheaded by Washington State Senator Kevin Ranker and California State Senator Kevin De Leon, cites numerous issues that come with offshore drilling. These issues range from the large-scale, irreparable damage caused by oil spills, to the long term damage to coastal economies after these disasters.​“This reckless proposal opens over 90 percent of US shorelines to new oil and gas drilling, putting our economy and marine environment at risk of a catastrophic oil spill,” said Sen. Kevin Ranker. “States across the country are standing up together against the Trump administration to protect our communities, our marine and coastal environment and economy.”

I was honored to to have a visit from a delegation from Project Bazia, a student run program from Portland High School that seeks to integrate young African immigrants into American culture. The four students in the photo (all asylum seekers from Burundi and Rwanda) are: Benjamin, Steevan, Daniel, and Rita. I am also joined by Ann Smith, on the left, the project administrator, Ralph Carmona, who also works with the group, and my colleague, Rep. Craig Hickman, of Winthrop. The students were in Augusta to learn both about the legislative process, and to make the case for programs that help new immigrants, including Portland's Welcome Center, which helps new immigrants integrate into the workforce.

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Erik C. Jorgensen represents Maine House District 41 - Part of Portland. This blog represents his own opinions and not those of the Maine Legislature, Maine Democrats, or anyone else. To read more about me, click here